Divergence
by walutahanga
Summary: Why did Alex, Wes’ descendant, still exist in the timeline where Wes was killed in 2001?


**Title: **Divergence

**Author: **walutahanga

**Rating:** T

**Summary:** Why did Alex, Wes' descendant, still exist in the timeline when Wesley was killed in 2001?

--

Before he met Jen, Wes dated a woman called Amanda Tate.

Amanda worked as a geneticist for Special Projects Department, a government-run corporation whose work rivalled his fathers. The appeal for Wesley was two-fold: Mr Collins didn't like his son dating the competition, and Amanda had long legs and a direct, challenging blue gaze.

Amanda and Wes dated on and off during the early part of 2001: dinners, movies, and sex. Amanda made it clear that she put her career first and had no interest in anything more serious. Wes, for his part, was feeling somewhat apathetic. He had no idea what he wanted to do with his life, and Amanda's passion and direction could be exhausting. He also had the vague sense that she looked down on him, that he was good for a one-night stand, or a fun date, but certainly not a long-term investment.

They were already beggining to drift apart when she turned up on his doorstep one night. She'd been crying, and her cool façade was holding together by a thread. He invited her inside and guided her to the couch. He draped his jacket about her shoulders and tried to get her to talk to him. Finally she spoke.

"There was an accident in the lab."

Wes waited for her to elaborate, but she didn't.

"Were you fired?" He asked. He searched for a way to help her. "I could get you a job at my father's company if that's what –"

"I don't need your damn pity!" She glared at him, blue eyes furious. A moment later, all the fury went out of her and she dropped her head into her hands. When she spoke her voice was filled with equal parts hopelessness and bitter humour. "Besides, the job doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore."

Concerned, Wes put his arm about her. He'd only meant it as comfort, so wasn't expecting it when she turned into the embrace and kissed him. There was a desperate passion within her, and he carefully disentangled himself.

"Listen," he said. "I'm not sure if this is a good idea. You're upset right now and–"

"Please," she said, fingers curling in the front of his shirt. It was the first time she'd asked anything of him with so much vulnerability. Amanda was never vulnerable, never asked for help. She did things her own way. "I just… I just need this right now, okay? Make me forget for a while."

So he did.

When he woke up the next morning, she was gone. There was a note on the message pad by the phone.

_ I apologise for my behaviour last night, Wesley. I was in a dark place and I didn't know who to turn to. I want you to know that I appreciate you being there for me. It means a lot. Good-bye. _

_ - Amanda_

He dropped by her apartment later to make sure she was okay, but she wasn't there. All her stuff was packed and gone, and her landlord said she hadn't left a forwarding address. Wes made a few enquiries to her work, but all SPD would tell him was that she'd been transferred to New Tech City, and that no, they couldn't give him her new address.

Wes toyed with the idea of going to see Amanda. It wouldn't be impossible to find where she'd gone, and it would take him away from his father's pressuring. He could just drop by and make it sound like he'd been in the neighbourhood. Maybe if he went, she'd tell him why she'd been so upset that night.

Before he could make his mind up whether or not to go, he saved an oddly dressed young woman from monsters at the Silver Hills mall. That was how he met Jen and the others. His life took a strange new direction, and soon he was entangled in matters of Time Force, mutants, rangers, and the beautiful, hopelessly out of reach Jennifer Scott.

Amanda Tate and her mysterious troubles were all but forgotten.

--

He wouldn't really think of Amanda again until 2002, when he was sitting with Jen by the campfire on the Animarium. He was still having trouble believing she was really here, and not some wonderful dream that would vanish any moment.

"I guess I can change my destiny too," Jen said with a smile, and snuggled against his side. He stroked her hair, content for the first time in a long time. He had Jen, temporary as it was, and nothing could spoil this time with her.

Across the cave, Eric and Taylor were managing to talk for the first time without arguing, and Wesley wondered with a smile whether Eric wouldn't have some company when he finally turned in.

"You should talk to Amanda Tate," Jen said abruptly.

Wes' hand on her hair paused in mid-motion.

"What?" He drew a complete blank on why she would say this. He'd never mentioned Amanda to Jen and had had no idea Jen even knew the other woman existed, let alone why she would be telling him to go look for her. Jen didn't look at him, staring resolutely into the fire.

"You need to talk to her," she repeated.

"Amanda and I haven't spoken in over a year. I don't think she'll– "

"Please, Wes. Promise me that once this is all over you'll talk to her."

"Okay. I promise."

Jen looked into his eyes and seemed satisfied that he was telling the truth. She kissed him, but Wes couldn't shake the sense that she was kissing him good-bye. Not just until the next time she could drop into the present, but forever this time. He determinedly ignored the feeling, deepening the kiss. He drew her tighter into his arms as the fire cast soft, flickering shadows across the cave wall.

--

The days and hours until Jen's departure went far too quickly, slipping through their fingers like water. It seemed a very short time until Wes was standing on the beach with the other rangers watching the ship disappear into a time-hole. As the Wild Force rangers walked away up the beach, shouting their good-byes, Eric reached out and punched Wes' shoulder.

"What do you say we go get drunk?" He suggested.

"I don't know," Wes said. "It seems like you might already have company for tonight."

He glanced significantly at the yellow Wild Force ranger who was waiting beside Eric's car, arms folded as she scowled in their direction. Eric hesitated, plainly torn.

"Taylor can wait," he said.

"No," Wes said. "She can't. Go to her. Argue. Fight. Drink stupid amounts of alchohol and have really bad sex, then leave messages on her answering machine in the middle of the night saying you love her. Enjoy every moment you have with her."

Eric hesitated, glancing in Taylor's direction.

"You're sure?" He said.

"Yes," Wes said. "Go. I have something to do anyway."

He watched his friend walk up the beach to Taylor, then got in his car and drove to New Tech City.

The address Jen had given him was in the suburbs. He remembered Amanda's old apartment, and wondered why she'd chosen to move to the suburbs. She'd _hated_ the suburbs, and had professed that dislike at every opportunity.

The house he pulled up to was small and cosy. The yard was fenced in, and the lawn well tended. He was careful not to step on the lawn as he walked up the front path to knock on the door.

"One second!" A woman's voice shouted. There were footsteps, and Amanda opened the door.

She looked different. She was wearing a blue men's shirt over jeans, and her blonde hair was pulled back into a messy pony tail. It was a new, more casual look and Wes liked it. The biggest change, however, was the baby she was holding against her shoulder with the ease of long practise, patting his back to burp him.

"Sorry I took so long," she said, her gaze taking in Wes' uniform and not much more. "I was just feeding Schyler and – "

She stopped suddenly, eyes widening in recognition.

"Wesley?" She said, voice gone small and thin.

Wes would have said something, but his gaze was riveted on the baby, who was drooling on his mother's shoulder. Wes suddenly remembered Alex, who was a descendant of his, but had still existed in the future where Wes had died in 2001. None of the other rangers had been able (_willing_?) to explain exactly why that was.

"I heard you moved to New Tech City," he said, unable to think of anything else to say. "I thought I'd see how you were doing."

Amanda nodded, shifting the baby from one arm to the other. She didn't say anything, so Wes cleared his throat.

"Is that your son?" He said, looking at the baby. "He'd be, what six months, nine months old…"

"One year this Tuesday," she said.

Wes quickly calculated the dates. It had been the night before she'd left then. They hadn't bothered with protection. She'd tossed the condom packet aside, saying she'd take care of it. In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have left the contraception to the emotionally distraught woman.

He couldn't be sorry, though. Not looking at the baby with Amanda's blue eyes and what Wes suspected would oneday become his father's nose.

"I read about you in the papers," Amanda said suddenly. She was looking at Wes' uniform, giving him the same close scrutiny he'd given her. "Looks like you finally found some direction."

"I did," he said simply.

They stared at each other for a long moment, re-evaluating everything they'd always assumed about one another. It struck Wes suddenly that he'd barely known Amanda before she left. What had he been to her, aside from a spoilt rich kid who was nice enough to hold her once while she cried? More importantly, what was he to her now?

Schyler suddenly started crying: a high, thin wail that made Wes flinch.

"Is he okay?" He asked.

"He's fine," Amanda said, rocking Schyler. "That just means he's hungry." She stepped back and nudged the door open wider with her foot. "Why don't you come inside? We've got a lot to talk about."

-


End file.
